In Search of Paul.

Book Review.

Croosan, John Dominic.  Reed, Jonathan L.  In Search of Paul.  How Jesus’, apostle opposed Rome’s empire with God’s Kingdom.  Harper, San Francisco.  2004.

JDC- professor emeritus of De Paul University, regarded as the foremost historical Jesus scholar of our time.

JLR- teaches New Testament and Christian origins at University of La Verne, California.  He is a leading authority on first century archaeology.

Comment.  Henry.

In my reading(s) I can count on three expectations.  I can learn, I can be inspired, and I can be entertained.  This read was ‘heavy’ on the first expectation.  I never cease to be amazed at the ‘options’ of interpretations of Scripture.  I choose to accept them as such and thus avoid the frustration of what seem to be controversies.  I recommend this book as a stimulating read.

Rome’s imperial theology was diametrically opposed to Paul’s Christian theology.  Paul’s ministry focused on “pagans sympathetic to Judaism” (xi) e.g. Cornelius, who are referred to as God-fearers.  His teachings emphasized equality for all, Jew/Gentile, male/female, etc.

A ‘theme’ of the book is how the authors view the contrast between Luke’s presentations of Paul’s ministry in the book of Acts and how Paul presented his missionary work.  Luke did not acknowledge Paul as an apostle and he identified the religious leaders as Paul’s opponents.

“The entire book is about the clash between alternate visions of world peace.  One is Augustus’s vision- peace through victory (and) the other is Paul’s vision- peace through justice.” (74)

There are examples given of wrong information, e.g. the imminent return of Christ, which are not rejected but are rather a problem of interpretation.

“Epilogue”

“We are, at the start of the twenty-first century, what the Roman Empire was at the first century.” (412)   

As in the first century there are two themes being chanted by civilization:  “First victory, then peace, or Peace by victory (and/or) First justice, then peace, or Peace by justice.” (413)

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